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  • #31
    All seems well with my Merlot going it's 4th day of fermentation. I tried using an acid test kit and got a reading of 4.0 of whatever units it reads, but being the first time using it I'm not reading too much into it's accuracy. The starting SG was a little high at 1.100 though I'm not sure of the effects of slight fermentation of the natural yeast over the previous couple of days. I took a reading yesterday and it was down to 1.060 and tasted very promising indeed.
    Another newbie question now. When I press the must into a carboy is it ok to mix the wine from both FV's. I had intended to use 1 carboy and as many DJ's as I needed after the carboy was full.

    Regards Alan

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    • #32
      Tempranillo cap is sinking already (brix 7 ish). The caps on the other two are getting less pronounced.

      Malo has gone in: pressing tomorrow
      Pete the Instructor

      It looks like Phil Donahue throwing up into a tuba

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      • #33
        Originally posted by goldseal View Post
        Tempranillo cap is sinking already (brix 7 ish). The caps on the other two are getting less pronounced.

        Malo has gone in: pressing tomorrow
        My monte cap is also starting to sink/become less pronounced. Just done SG check, and just a shade above 1.000 - therefore will also be pressing tomorrow. I think the combination of the Rohapect, the K1V and keeping the must temp up to as close to 30 degrees as I could get have all contributed to a nice speedy ferment. Be interesting to see how much free-run there is.........
        "There are 10 types of people who understand Binary; those that do and those that don't.........."

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        • #34
          Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
          Heard that before - I think jelly is a good description.

          I use hessian separators (not to be confused with Hessian separatists) - simple discs in the basket press - I think these work by giving pathway to the juice. Does rice do the same perhaps?
          Exactly. Plus it just gives a little more traction.
          Steve

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          • #35
            Merlot is now down to 1.012 so I'm going to press tonight. This will be interesting as I have never done this before and my beloved house proud wife will be watching my every move. It could be stressful night for both of us.

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            • #36
              Pressing pressing pressing. Some bodging too

              Cut down a 5 gallon fermenter to make a press sheild

              25 litres from the Temp
              6 Gallons from the Nero

              Shiraz to go... just having a break
              With Grape flavour comes grape responsibility

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              • #37
                So far so good, gulp !!!

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                • #38
                  So far so good, worried about where all my yeasties are, I've kinda liked them over the last couple of days. Should I be doing anything after pressing or will there be enough yeast kept in the wine to keep the ferment going ? I know the answer is probably yes but it tastes so good I'd hate to ruin it and have to wait another year.

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                  • #39
                    Bigshug your yeasties will be fine as long as you keep the containers topped up and warm after pressing.

                    Spent virtually all day pressing. Started this morning, pressed the frozen Shiraz as SG was .994 followed by Tempranillo SG .996 and then the Merlot at SG 1.000.

                    I racked the Shiraz off the sediment this evening and will leave the other two until tomorrow. 50 litres of frozen Shiraz ended up at 38 litres of wine.

                    Got a second run from the Merlot and Tempranillo skins going this evening. 14 boxes of skins in 25 litres of sugar syrup with 125g tartaric acid and 6g of Tannorouge. Hoping for a bit more body than with the usual ratio.

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                    • #40
                      Sunday was press day, Shiraz at 1.020 and Monte at 1.000. Yesterday racked off the sediment into clean containers and pitched the malo culture. Extraction is really good and the flavours are lovely. Monte is a fair bit more tannic than the Shiraz at this stage, although the sweetness still in the shiraz is masking it a bit. Trebbiano has been going on a nice slow cool ferment after I racked off the worst of the residual pulp from last Tuesday.

                      Shiraz and Monte were both done on Gervin No 2, 5 cases bought, approx 5.5 imp. gallons (25 litres) of wine in secondary - slightly more monte than shiraz (maybe 1.5 litres).
                      Trebbiano was done on D47 in the end as the GV5 I started it on just never got going (it was a little out of date).

                      2nd run going on the Shiraz skins. 11 litres of 1.080 gravity sugar syrup added.

                      Could anyone re-post the original numbers for Shiraz, Monte and Trebbiano please. I made a scribbled note of the brix as they were being done on the day but can't find them. (I must have burned it).
                      Simon
                      "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

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                      • #41
                        Finally got round to sorting my GF Monte out tonight. Managed (somehow)! to get 23L of free run (from 6 boxes originally - Fermented using K1V as per normal), so I only pressed a small amount of the remaining grapes to yield a 1/2 demijohn of pressed fluid, to use as top-up for the free run once they've both settled/racked. 2nd run off and running (decided to do wine no1 must and pour over the remaining grapes.) Will press the rest once the 2nd run is complete.

                        Happy bunny!
                        Last edited by DaveH; 01-10-2013, 08:39 PM. Reason: added yeast details
                        "There are 10 types of people who understand Binary; those that do and those that don't.........."

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                        • #42
                          Yikes !!! After pressing last night I made up one of the Beaverdale kits I had and added some handfuls of skins to it. As it was now 2am and the must was around 40c I decided to take readings and pitch yeast in the morning. Wrong !!! lid of the 23ltr FV sitting 1/2 proud and the kitchen floor is getting it's fair share of skins too. There is no way this volcano is getting moved anywhere warmer for the time being.
                          Last edited by bigshug1960; 01-10-2013, 08:53 PM. Reason: spelling yet again

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                          • #43
                            Racked all remaining wine off of gross lees last night so all GF13 ferments are under airlock.

                            Tempranillo still had a bit of a sulphur smell about it so I racked it down a copper rod and gave it a bit of a splash into the carbouy. Hoping not to bring another burnt rubber smelling wine to GF.

                            Malo going great guns in the Shiraz but the star of this years bunch is the Merlot in my opinion.

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                            • #44
                              Originally posted by SiSandrine View Post
                              Could anyone re-post the original numbers for Shiraz, Monte and Trebbiano please. I made a scribbled note of the brix as they were being done on the day but can't find them. (I must have burned it).
                              Bump. Anyone have the original numbers from these 3?
                              Simon
                              "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

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                              • #45
                                Simon I don't have the numbers that were taken during grape crushing but these are the results on my musts.

                                Shiraz
                                SG 1.073 17.7 Brix
                                PH 3.63
                                TA 4.5g/l Tartaric

                                Trebbiano
                                SG 1.074
                                PH 3.52
                                TA 4.2g/l Tartaric

                                Dave has posted that his Monti was 23 brix.

                                Don't know if anyone else can help you.

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